Former Deputy Minister, BNP leader and valiant Freedom Fighter Abdul Hai passed away last night at the age of 77.

He breathed his last around 1:30 am on Wednesday night while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, family sources said.

Throughout his political career, Abdul Hai was elected as member of parliament (MP) five times, while he served as a deputy minister of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, a panel speaker of parliament, and the president of Munshiganj district BNP.

He also served as an adviser to the former Prime Minister, late Begum Khaleda Zia.

Abdul Hai was born on January 5, 1949, in Hossendi village under Gazaria Upazila in Munshiganj. He had been involved in politics since his student days.

In 1973, he was elected chairman of Panchasar Union Parishad. He joined the BNP in 1978 and was elected as a MP for the first time in 1979. Then, he won parliamentary elections in 1991, on February 15 in 1996 and on June 12 of the same year, and again in 2001.